An Overview of Chicken Reproductive Performance and its Challenges at High-Altitude of Leh-Ladakh Region: Review

Abstract

Poultry industry is rapidly increasing worldwide and India is seen as a prominent market for both chicken broiler and chicken egg production. There are number of states in India, especially from its southern part which play an important role in increasing countries GDP from the poultry industry however, the scenario is still very gloomy from Leh-Ladakh region. Ladakh comes under high-altitude region which is around 3500 meter above mean sea level, characterized by harsh environment i.e. low oxygen, low atmospheric pressure, low temperature, high wind velocity followed by extreme winter. This stressful condition hinders the health and productivity of poultry chicken. The purpose of the present review is to overview the overall reproduction and productive phenomenon of hen and challenges of poultry farming at high-altitude. Emphasis is given on how the production performance of chicken can further be increased at such stressful environmental condition which will be very helpful to the local progressive farmers interested in poultry backyard farming in this region in future.